Welfare Reform Act 2007

The Welfare Reform Act was brought into law in May 2007.

Key elements of the Act:

• A new Employment and Support Allowance (comprising contributory and non-contributory benefits plus severe disablement allowances), which will simplify the existing benefits system for those whose health affects their capacity for work.
• A focus on early intervention, with increased support to employers and employees in managing health in the workplace; improved absence and return to work management; and increased support to health professionals to enable them to provide holistic treatment plans which recognise the benefits of work with respect to rehabilitation and long-term health.
• More customer contact and more employment advice and support for individuals with health conditions to enable them to realise their ambition to return to work, building upon evidence from the successful Pathways to Work pilots.
• The ongoing development of disability rights to provide a level playing field for those with disabilities.
• Housing benefit reform, which includes the national roll out of the Local Housing Allowance and a housing benefit sanction for anti-social behaviour as part of the Government's RESPECT agenda.
  

You can read a summary of the Act on the Disability Alliance website, and read the Act itself on the Office of Public Sector Information website.